This is an opinion page! Use the data presented at your own risk.
Let’s start by looking at the various hitch options available for the Gen-4 Outback - OEM vs Aftermarket. At the bottom I included a composite graphic with images from the manufactures, 5 photos I took, and one I swiped from the web. Hopefully it's all accurate....
1) Subaru OEM – 1.25x1.25 Class-II only. L101SAJ001
This unit is unique in that it attaches on three planes at the very end of the frame rails by the back bumper. It uses a pair of add-on external adapters that bolt to the frame on two sides, plus it shares the 4 bumper beam bolts for a total of 6 bolts per side. It’s very compact, with the cross frame beam totally hidden, and the receiver passes thru a hole that you cut in the bumper so it sits up higher than any of the aftermarket hitches. Loss in rear departure angle is practically zero.
Upside and downsides of the design:
a) Small (1.25") receiver only.
b) Sticks out a long way, threatening bloody shins. In the event of a rear collision it transfers energy directly to the frame without benefit of the cushioning bumper. Upside is that it places tow ball (or bike rack) further back and in the open, expanding options.
c) May be too high for some light duty trailers (over 16”), as ball height reducing tow bar options in 1.25” are limited. The most I've seen was a 2.5" drop bar, whereas you can get up to 7" drops on the larger 2" receivers.
d) Attachment points at the frame are super heavy duty, and on multiple planes. By contrast, the welds where the receiver box meets the crossbeam appear ‘underwhelming’ to me, but certainly adequate for Class-II.
Installation:
The only option is the “OEM Method” of removing the rear bumper to gain access to the ends of the frame rails for insertion of the two sided bolt insert, and for the 4 bolt end plate. Removing the bumper on any modern vehicle requires a little finesse, but generally isn't overly difficult. I've done it on Honda vans, but decided at the last minute to go another way on the Outback.
2) Aftermarket under-the-bumper hitches. These are typically very visible and do reduce rear clearance. I’m familiar with two basic manufacturers, although there may be others. Curt makes the ‘round tube’ units you see, while Cequent makes the square tube hitches. Cequent brands include DrawTite, Hidden Hitch, Reese, Reese Towpower, Pro Series, U-Haul and others. Class-II (1.25”) or Class-III (2x2”) options are available. The 2” receiver offers more versatility in what you can do with a hitch, and it’s what I went with.
I recently had reason to talk to both customer service and the warranty dept. at Cequent and was assured that all of these ‘brands’ were labels only – there is absolutely no difference in design, materials, welding, paint, etc. The only delta is in price, distribution channels and warranty coverage.
2” receivers I looked at: Pro-Series & Reese Towpower 51204, Reese 44631, DrawTite 75673, Hidden Hitch 87568, U-Haul 75159 (pretty sure this is correct). In the end I went by price.
These units attach along the underside of the frame using holes that already exist (Cequent). You fish in a pair of bolts and reinforcement plates on both sides that stick out below, and you hang the hitch brackets from there. Gaining access to the inside of the frame rails is by the OEM Method (remove bumper), drill a new hole in the frame from below, or slightly expand an ‘inspection hole’ in the trunk area. Total attachment is by 4 bolts along a single plane. Oddly enough the Cequent instructions show the reinforcement plates placed ‘crosswise’ in the box frame, and they provide two different lengths that will supposedly fit. But doing so would result in distortion of the frame as they won’t naturally sit flat across the bottom. I made a judgement call and ran them ‘lengthwise’ so that they didn’t do any frame damage.
I have a Curt hitch on my Toyota and like it, but decided to pass on their product for the Outback. For reasons unknown, the Curt hitch aligns with two existing frame holes (the rearmost set) but requires that you drill two new ones as their attachment bracket is shorter. Also, their warranty requires that a hatch top tether be used to stabilize bicycle rack. Apparently they have some concern with torsional strain? That doesn’t give me a good feeling…
Upside and downsides of the design (based on the Reese):
a) Receiver options (1.25 or 2”).
b) The receiver is ‘hidden’ (placed 4-5 inches back from the bumper on Cequent hitches), but the large crossbar certainly is not! Departure angle suffers some. It looks from some photos like the Curt #13390 is more flush with the bumper, but someone else will have to comment on this. EDIT: eTrailer has a good image from the underside clearly showing that the Curt receiver actually extends slightly beyond the bumper edge.
c) The receiver setback under the bumper on Cequent products makes it difficult to use one of my bike racks and my existing Carry-On brand cargo tray, both of which now come ultra-close to contacting the bumper. Use of an extension tube may be required. Buy a longer draw bar (9-10” and not the 6-7” type) to place the ball far enough out. That will grant you a few extra degrees of trailer angle before something hits the corner of the bumper. It will also make the process of backing up to the trailer a little less risky. The Curt hitch may be better in this respect.
d) The longer spread of the attachment points along the frame rails (14 inches) probably makes up (structurally) for the heavy duty / multiple plane approach taken by Mother Subaru.
e) You will have to remove and modify slightly the muffler heat shield(s) so that the hitch mounts flat to the frame rails and so that you have access to one covered bolt hole. You put the heat shield back on top of the hitch. It can be difficult to align all of the holes, and it drops the shield height slightly.
3) Torklift Stealth / Eco-Hitch (7162 & 7170). Call it a hybrid design. While it attaches along the frame rails exactly the same as the Cequent products, it’s cross-beam is tucked up behind the bumper similar to the Subaru OEM. But instead of then coming thru the lower bumper fascia out back, it has a box welded to the bottom of the cross-beam and places the receiver down below the bumper. You cut out a lower piece of plastic and delete a clip to accomplish this. Their instructions favor the ‘thru the trunk’ method of bolt fishing (the approach I found to be very fast and extremely easy…).
Upside and downsides of the design:
a) Receiver options (1.25 or 2”).
b) The crossbar is complete hidden and the receiver is in the ideal spot, nearly flush with the back edge of the bumper. Almost any accessory should fit just fine.
c) I like that they suggest slight enlargement of the existing “inspection ports” in the trunks thin sheet steel pan rather than drilling thru the bottom of the more structural (and rust vulnerable) three sided box frame. You’ll be gutting the trunk floor anyhow to run the lights, so you are already half way there.
d) Like the Subaru OEM, you have a welded box below the cross-beam that appears more structurally ‘complex’ that the Cequent/Curt. Make of that what you will….
e) They have you drill a hole thru the heat shield (it blocks one mounting hole) and sandwich the shield between the hitch and frame. To me that’s not best practice, but it’s up to you….
General Stuff:
1) I’m pulling a 2000 lb max GVW 5’ x 8’ landscapers trailer that sits very low to the ground. The longest draw bar I’ve seen in 3.5” drop so far was the U-Haul Extra Length #13114, at slightly over 10” pin-to-ball center.
2) The Subaru tow ratings are in your owners manual, along with information on derating the stated values based on existing loads you are carrying in the vehicle (section 8-18 & 13-2 in my copy). For the 2.5L FB engine / CVT it’s 2700 lbs trailer weight and 200 lbs tongue weight. All this information is based upon the use of the Subaru OEM 1.25” receiver and a short draw bar. If you go aftermarket you still have to abide by these numbers! So while installing a Class-III 2” hitch gives you flexibility, you have no more carrying capacity. Possibly even less, as the ball-to-frame mount spread is now longer (fulcrum arm and cantilever relationships) than stock. Cequent and others claim that the frame rail mounts can take it, but don’t get stupid!
3) What happens if you add an extension or very long bar? You put the ‘tongue’ point further back behind the vehicle, so your carrying capacity drops further. This is a big concern when using a cargo tray, wheel chair carrier or monster bike rack. It’s your responsibility to do the math!
4) Could you use an extension to tow if you only have a super-short tow bar and your hitch is way under the bumper? Not generally a good idea, but the short (8”) extension from U-Haul (#80307) says you can if you derate the tongue/tow values according to their instructions.
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Let’s start by looking at the various hitch options available for the Gen-4 Outback - OEM vs Aftermarket. At the bottom I included a composite graphic with images from the manufactures, 5 photos I took, and one I swiped from the web. Hopefully it's all accurate....
1) Subaru OEM – 1.25x1.25 Class-II only. L101SAJ001
This unit is unique in that it attaches on three planes at the very end of the frame rails by the back bumper. It uses a pair of add-on external adapters that bolt to the frame on two sides, plus it shares the 4 bumper beam bolts for a total of 6 bolts per side. It’s very compact, with the cross frame beam totally hidden, and the receiver passes thru a hole that you cut in the bumper so it sits up higher than any of the aftermarket hitches. Loss in rear departure angle is practically zero.
Upside and downsides of the design:
a) Small (1.25") receiver only.
b) Sticks out a long way, threatening bloody shins. In the event of a rear collision it transfers energy directly to the frame without benefit of the cushioning bumper. Upside is that it places tow ball (or bike rack) further back and in the open, expanding options.
c) May be too high for some light duty trailers (over 16”), as ball height reducing tow bar options in 1.25” are limited. The most I've seen was a 2.5" drop bar, whereas you can get up to 7" drops on the larger 2" receivers.
d) Attachment points at the frame are super heavy duty, and on multiple planes. By contrast, the welds where the receiver box meets the crossbeam appear ‘underwhelming’ to me, but certainly adequate for Class-II.
Installation:
The only option is the “OEM Method” of removing the rear bumper to gain access to the ends of the frame rails for insertion of the two sided bolt insert, and for the 4 bolt end plate. Removing the bumper on any modern vehicle requires a little finesse, but generally isn't overly difficult. I've done it on Honda vans, but decided at the last minute to go another way on the Outback.
2) Aftermarket under-the-bumper hitches. These are typically very visible and do reduce rear clearance. I’m familiar with two basic manufacturers, although there may be others. Curt makes the ‘round tube’ units you see, while Cequent makes the square tube hitches. Cequent brands include DrawTite, Hidden Hitch, Reese, Reese Towpower, Pro Series, U-Haul and others. Class-II (1.25”) or Class-III (2x2”) options are available. The 2” receiver offers more versatility in what you can do with a hitch, and it’s what I went with.
I recently had reason to talk to both customer service and the warranty dept. at Cequent and was assured that all of these ‘brands’ were labels only – there is absolutely no difference in design, materials, welding, paint, etc. The only delta is in price, distribution channels and warranty coverage.
2” receivers I looked at: Pro-Series & Reese Towpower 51204, Reese 44631, DrawTite 75673, Hidden Hitch 87568, U-Haul 75159 (pretty sure this is correct). In the end I went by price.
These units attach along the underside of the frame using holes that already exist (Cequent). You fish in a pair of bolts and reinforcement plates on both sides that stick out below, and you hang the hitch brackets from there. Gaining access to the inside of the frame rails is by the OEM Method (remove bumper), drill a new hole in the frame from below, or slightly expand an ‘inspection hole’ in the trunk area. Total attachment is by 4 bolts along a single plane. Oddly enough the Cequent instructions show the reinforcement plates placed ‘crosswise’ in the box frame, and they provide two different lengths that will supposedly fit. But doing so would result in distortion of the frame as they won’t naturally sit flat across the bottom. I made a judgement call and ran them ‘lengthwise’ so that they didn’t do any frame damage.
I have a Curt hitch on my Toyota and like it, but decided to pass on their product for the Outback. For reasons unknown, the Curt hitch aligns with two existing frame holes (the rearmost set) but requires that you drill two new ones as their attachment bracket is shorter. Also, their warranty requires that a hatch top tether be used to stabilize bicycle rack. Apparently they have some concern with torsional strain? That doesn’t give me a good feeling…
Upside and downsides of the design (based on the Reese):
a) Receiver options (1.25 or 2”).
b) The receiver is ‘hidden’ (placed 4-5 inches back from the bumper on Cequent hitches), but the large crossbar certainly is not! Departure angle suffers some. It looks from some photos like the Curt #13390 is more flush with the bumper, but someone else will have to comment on this. EDIT: eTrailer has a good image from the underside clearly showing that the Curt receiver actually extends slightly beyond the bumper edge.
c) The receiver setback under the bumper on Cequent products makes it difficult to use one of my bike racks and my existing Carry-On brand cargo tray, both of which now come ultra-close to contacting the bumper. Use of an extension tube may be required. Buy a longer draw bar (9-10” and not the 6-7” type) to place the ball far enough out. That will grant you a few extra degrees of trailer angle before something hits the corner of the bumper. It will also make the process of backing up to the trailer a little less risky. The Curt hitch may be better in this respect.
d) The longer spread of the attachment points along the frame rails (14 inches) probably makes up (structurally) for the heavy duty / multiple plane approach taken by Mother Subaru.
e) You will have to remove and modify slightly the muffler heat shield(s) so that the hitch mounts flat to the frame rails and so that you have access to one covered bolt hole. You put the heat shield back on top of the hitch. It can be difficult to align all of the holes, and it drops the shield height slightly.
3) Torklift Stealth / Eco-Hitch (7162 & 7170). Call it a hybrid design. While it attaches along the frame rails exactly the same as the Cequent products, it’s cross-beam is tucked up behind the bumper similar to the Subaru OEM. But instead of then coming thru the lower bumper fascia out back, it has a box welded to the bottom of the cross-beam and places the receiver down below the bumper. You cut out a lower piece of plastic and delete a clip to accomplish this. Their instructions favor the ‘thru the trunk’ method of bolt fishing (the approach I found to be very fast and extremely easy…).
Upside and downsides of the design:
a) Receiver options (1.25 or 2”).
b) The crossbar is complete hidden and the receiver is in the ideal spot, nearly flush with the back edge of the bumper. Almost any accessory should fit just fine.
c) I like that they suggest slight enlargement of the existing “inspection ports” in the trunks thin sheet steel pan rather than drilling thru the bottom of the more structural (and rust vulnerable) three sided box frame. You’ll be gutting the trunk floor anyhow to run the lights, so you are already half way there.
d) Like the Subaru OEM, you have a welded box below the cross-beam that appears more structurally ‘complex’ that the Cequent/Curt. Make of that what you will….
e) They have you drill a hole thru the heat shield (it blocks one mounting hole) and sandwich the shield between the hitch and frame. To me that’s not best practice, but it’s up to you….
General Stuff:
1) I’m pulling a 2000 lb max GVW 5’ x 8’ landscapers trailer that sits very low to the ground. The longest draw bar I’ve seen in 3.5” drop so far was the U-Haul Extra Length #13114, at slightly over 10” pin-to-ball center.
2) The Subaru tow ratings are in your owners manual, along with information on derating the stated values based on existing loads you are carrying in the vehicle (section 8-18 & 13-2 in my copy). For the 2.5L FB engine / CVT it’s 2700 lbs trailer weight and 200 lbs tongue weight. All this information is based upon the use of the Subaru OEM 1.25” receiver and a short draw bar. If you go aftermarket you still have to abide by these numbers! So while installing a Class-III 2” hitch gives you flexibility, you have no more carrying capacity. Possibly even less, as the ball-to-frame mount spread is now longer (fulcrum arm and cantilever relationships) than stock. Cequent and others claim that the frame rail mounts can take it, but don’t get stupid!
3) What happens if you add an extension or very long bar? You put the ‘tongue’ point further back behind the vehicle, so your carrying capacity drops further. This is a big concern when using a cargo tray, wheel chair carrier or monster bike rack. It’s your responsibility to do the math!
4) Could you use an extension to tow if you only have a super-short tow bar and your hitch is way under the bumper? Not generally a good idea, but the short (8”) extension from U-Haul (#80307) says you can if you derate the tongue/tow values according to their instructions.
